Lipids of Capsicum annuum Fruit Pulp

Lipids from fruit pulp of the sweet red pepper (Capsicum annuum, Solanaceae) were characterized. The principal components of the lipids from pepper fruit pulp were neutral lipids with predominance of triacylglycerines (55.8%). The polar lipids contained sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerines and phosphotidylglycerines. The fatty-acid compositions of the neutral lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids were determined.     

Fatty acids from the Okhotsk sea sponge <Emphasis Type="Italic">Forcepia uschakowi</Emphasis>

The fatty-acid (FA) composition of total lipids from the Okhotsk sea marine sponge Forcepia uschakowi was studied. A total of 56 acids were identified by GC and GC—MS. The principal saturated acids were 16∶0 and 18∶0. The main monoene acid was 15-Me-24∶1(14), which was observed for the first time in sponge lipids. Polyunsaturated acids represented of 64.1% of the total FA of F. uschakowi. Of these, the principal ones were non-methylene-separated acids 26∶2(5,9) and 26∶3(5,9,19), which are typical of sponges, and bromo-acid 6-Br-26∶2(5,9). __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 422–424, September–October, 2007.     

Lipids from the Marine Alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gracilaria verrucosa</Emphasis>

The composition of lipids and fatty acids from the red alga Gracilaria verrucosa, for which a high content of 20:4n-6 acid is typical, was studied. The principal lipids were digalactosyldiacylglycerides, phosphatidylcholines (PC), monogalactosyldiacylglyderides (MGDG), and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerides, the fraction of each was approximately the same. Sphingophospholipids, inositephosphoceramides, were identified among the polar lipids. Each lipid class differed in the ratio of fatty acids (FA). The FA of all glycerolipids contained 20:4n-6 acid but its concentration was greatest in MGDG and PC, 67.2% and 56.5% of the acid mass.__________Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 230–232, May–June, 2005.     

A Diazirine-Modified Membrane Lipid to Study Peptide/Lipid Interactions – Chances and Challenges

Although incorporation of photo-activatable lipids into membranes potentially opens up novel avenues for investigating interactions with proteins, the question of whether diazirine-modified lipids are suitable for such studies, remains under debate. Focusing on the potential for studying lipid/peptide interactions by cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS), we developed a diazirine-modified lipid (DiazPC), and examined its behaviour in membranes incorporating the model α-helical peptide LAVA20. We observed an unexpected backfolding of the diazirine-containing stearoyl chain of the lipid. This surprising behaviour challenges the potential application of DiazPC for future XL-MS studies of peptide and protein/lipid interactions. The observations made for DiazPC most likely represent a general phenomenon for any type of membrane lipids with a polar moiety incorporated into the alkyl chain. Our finding is therefore of importance for future protein/lipid interaction studies relying on modified lipid probes.     

Polyunsaturated fatty acids of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cortusa turkestanica</Emphasis> seed oil

The composition of free and bound lipids from seeds of Cortusa turkestanica A. Lozinsk (Primulaceae) was studied. The fatty acid composition of principal acyl-containing classes was established using GC/MS. It was found that triacylglycerines isolated from free and bound lipids contained the usual acids and rarely encountered polyunsaturated 18:3 ω-6 (γ-linolenic, 8.8 and 3.2%) and 18:4 ω-3 (stearidonic, 0.7 and 0.4%) acids and were enriched in linoleic acid (18:2, ω-6, 58.2 and 60.8%, respectively). It was found that polyunsaturated 18:3 ω-6 and 18:4 ω-3 acids were missing in the free form and were found among polar substances of bound lipids.     

First Isolation and Structure Elucidation of GDNT-β-Glu – Tetraether Lipid Fragment from Archaeal Sulfolobus Strains

Due to their special chemical structure, tetraether lipids (TEL) represent essential elements of archaeal membranes, providing these organisms with extraordinary properties. Here we describe the characterization of a newly isolated structural element of the main lipids. The TEL fragment GDNT-β-Glu was isolated from Sulfolobus metallicus and characterized in terms of its chemical structure by NMR- and MS-investigations. The obtained data are dissimilar to analogically derived established structures – in essence, the binding relationships in the polar head group are re-determined and verified. With this work, we provide an important contribution to the structure elucidation of intact TEL also contained in other Sulfolobus strains such as Solfulobus acidocaldarius and Sulfolobus solfataricus.     

Cardiolipin, a key component to mimic the E. coli bacterial membrane in model systems revealed by dynamic light scattering and steady-state fluorescence anisotropy

The phase transition temperatures of several lipidic systems were determined using two different techniques: dynamic light scattering (DLS) and steady-state fluorescence anisotropy, using two fluorescent probes that report different membrane regions (TMA-DPH and DPH). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used as a complementary technique to characterize different lipid model systems under study. The systems were chosen due to the increased interest in bacterial membrane studies due to the problem of antibiotic drug resistance. The simpler models studied comprised of mixtures of POPE and POPG lipids, which form a commonly used model system for Escherichia coli membranes. Given the important role of cardiolipin (CL) in natural membranes, a ternary model system, POPE/POPG/CL, was then considered. The results obtained in these mimetic systems were compared with those obtained for the natural systems E. coli polar and total lipid extract. DLS and fluorescence anisotropy are not commonly used to study lipid phase transitions, but it was shown that they can give useful information about the thermotropic behaviors of model systems for bacterial membranes. These two techniques provided very similar results, validating their use as methods to measure phase transitions in lipid model systems. The temperature transitions obtained from these two very different techniques and the AFM results clearly show that cardiolipin is a fundamental component to mimic bacteria membranes. The results suggest that the less commonly used ternary system is a considerably better mimic for natural E. coli membranes than binary lipid mixture.     

Lipids from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halostachys caspica</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halocharis hispida</Emphasis>

The composition of lipids from the aerial parts of two species of halophytes from the family Chenopodiaceae, Halostachys caspica C. A. Mey. and Halocharis hispida Bge. was determined. Neutral lipids (NL, 62.1 and 54.2%, respectively) dominated the total lipids (TL) of these plants. More than a third of the NL were esters of aliphatic alcohols and phytosterols (FAE). Fatty acids 16:0, 18:1, and 18:2 dominated the acids of FAE; 16:0, 18:1, and 18:3, the phospholipids. The principal fatty acids of glycolipids were unsaturated acids (68.3 and 75.1%) with linolenic acid dominating (44.9 and 43.5%). Presented at the 7th International Symposium on the Chemistry of Natural Compounds, Tashkent, October 16–18, 2007. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 276–278, May–June, 2009.     

Lipophilic pigments and fatty acids from the aerial parts of certain plant species of the genus Limonium. VII

Pigments and lipids from the aerial parts of six plant species from the genus Limonium (Plumbaginaceae, Limoniacea) were studied. Xanthophylls dominated among the carotinoids; chlorophyll, the chlorophylls, according to spectrophotometry. Unsaturated fatty acids, the content of which reached 80%, dominated in all samples according to GC. The principal fatty acids were 18:1 and 18:2. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 412–414, September–October, 2006.     

THE EFFECT OF TREATMENT OF CHLOROPLAST MEMBRANES WITH GUANIDINE HC1 AND AQUEOUS ACETONE ON THE FLUORESCENCE OF BOUND ANS AND CHLOROPHYLL-a†

Abstract The fluorescence intensity of the extrinsic chromophore 1-anilino-naphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) bound to pea chloroplast fragments shows a sigmoidal rise as the pH of the suspending medium is decreased by the addition of HC1. The abrupt increase occurs at pH – 4.5. A 70% decrease in the maximal fluorescence intensity (pH range 3.5-4.5) of bound ANS was observed when soluble chloroplast proteins were removed by washing with water. Extraction of chloroplast membranes with 6 M guanidine-HC1 abolishes the acid–induced enhancement of ANS fluorescence. However, the subsequent removal of lipids (by 80% acetone extraction) from the guanidine-HC1-extracted naked membranes restores the acid-induced fluorescence increase. These results suggest that ANS binds mainly to the surface of the chloroplast membrane and the fluorescence changes of ANS by acidification mainly reflect the changes in the associated proteins. The lack of enhancement of the fluorescence of ANS by acidification of the guanidine-HCl treated membranes and the recovery of the acid-induced fluorescence rise after extraction of the lipids from the guanidine-HCl treated membranes suggest that the boundary lipids somehow prevent the entry of the ANS molecules into the hydrophobic interior of the naked membrane. The lipid-depleted, guanidine-HCl extracted naked membrane fragments do not show any shift in the position of the peak of emission of ANS (λ= 470 nm) upon acidification as the lipid-depleted preparations without guanidine-HCl treatment do (shift from 460 to 470 nm). Divalent cations (Mn²⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) also increased ANS fluorescence intensities when added to both types of lipid-depleted chloroplast preparations. A comparative analysis of ANS fluorescence bound to the lipid-depleted and guanidine-HCl treated chloroplast fragments with that of just lipid-depleted fragments shows that the acidification of the latter brings about a greater change in the value of the relative binding sites (n) and the dissociation constant k_d of ANS than the protonation of the former. The role of chloroplast protein and lipid components in the structural changes of the thylakoid membrane imposed by external perturbations is discussed.     

Phase Diagram for a Lysyl-Phosphatidylglycerol Analogue in Biomimetic Mixed Monolayers with Phosphatidylglycerol: Insights into the Tunable Properties of Bacterial Membranes

Ion pairing between the major phospholipids of the Staphylococcus aureus plasma membrane (phosphatidylglycerol – PG and lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol – LPG) confers resistance to antimicrobial peptides and other antibiotics. We developed 3adLPG, a stable synthetic analogue which can substitute for the highy-labile native LPG, in biophysical experiments examining the membrane-protecting role of lipid ion pairing, in S. aureus and other important bacteria. Here we examine the surface charge and lipid packing characteristics of synthetic biomimetic mixtures of DPPG and DP3adLPG in Langmuir monolayers, using a combination of complementary surface-probing techniques such as infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy and grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction. The resultant phase diagram for the ion paired lipids sheds light on the mixing behavior of lipids in monolayer models of resistant phenotype bacterial membranes, and provides a platform for future biophysical studies.     

A rapid one‐step method for the characterization of membrane lipid remodeling in Francisella using matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry

Lipids are essential components of all bacterial membranes. The most common membrane‐associated lipids in Gram‐negative bacteria are phospholipids and lipid A, the hydrophobic anchor of lipopolysaccharide. Diversity in these lipids arises through structural modifications that include changes in the length and location of fatty acids, and the addition of phosphate and carbohydrate moieties. Analysis of individual structural modifications normally requires large quantities of starting material and multiple methods for the isolation, hydrolysis, and analysis. In this study, we developed a novel one‐step protocol for the combined isolation of phospholipids and lipid A from Francisella subspecies followed by analysis using matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry. The total time for lipid isolation and analysis was approximately 15 min and with a lower limit of detection of approximately 100 ng of purified lipid. This protocol identified the major lipid structures using both wild‐type Ft subspecies strains and lipid A biosynthesis mutants. We also determined the relative levels of individual lipid A and phospholipids after growth under conditions that mimic the mammalian infection process. This analysis showed that the bacterial membranes remodeled rapidly to adapt to changes in environmental growth conditions and may be important for Francisella pathogenesis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Specific Lipid Studies in Complex Membranes by Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

Specific interactions with phospholipids are often critical for the function of proteins or drugs, but studying these interactions at high resolution remains difficult, especially in complex membranes that mimic biological conditions. In principle, molecular interactions with phospholipids could be directly probed by solid-state NMR (ssNMR). However, due to the challenge to detect specific lipids in mixed liposomes and limited spectral sensitivity, ssNMR studies of specific lipids in complex membranes are scarce. Here, by using purified biological ¹³C,¹⁵N-labeled phospholipids, we show that we can selectively detect traces of specific lipids in complex membranes. In combination with ¹H-detected ssNMR, we show that our approach provides unprecedented high-resolution insights into the mechanisms of drugs that target specific lipids. This broadly applicable approach opens new opportunities for the molecular characterization of specific lipid interactions with proteins or drugs in complex fluid membranes.     

Neutral lipids from seeds of Asteraceae plants

Lipids from seeds of three plants of the Asteraceae family, Cousinia franchetii, Arctium leiospermum, and Rhaponticum integrifolium, were studied. The principal constituents of lipids from the three plants were shown to be acylglycerides of ordinary fatty acids and oxygenated fatty acids using chemical and chromatographic analyses. The composition of the ordinary unoxidized and epoxy acids was determined by GC. Presented at the 7th International Symposium on the Chemistry of Natural Compounds, October 16–18, 2007, Tashkent, Uzbekistan __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 115–117, March–April, 2008.     

Structure and function of propranolol: A β-adrenergic blocking drug

In our earlier studies using quantum chemical methods we had proposed that propranolol has an extended structure. These results were confirmed using proton NMR . We have now carried out extensive magnetic resonance and model building studies to examine the interaction of this drug with model membranes. The effect of propranolol on organization of lipid bilayers has been studied using ESR spin labeling technique. Spin label Tempo and spin labeled stearic acid (5 SASL ) have been used to monitor changes in the fluidity of model membranes. Presence of the drug is found to fluidize the lipids. In case of 0.2M dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC), presence of drug (0.1M) is found to decrease the gel-liquid crystalline phase transition temperature by about 10°C. The order parameter measured from the spectrum of 5 SASL shows a 4% decrease on incorporation of the drug in membranes. ¹³C spin lattice relaxation time (T₁) measurements have been carried out for different nuclear sites of the drug. The aromatic moiety shows a high degree of molecular rigidity when the drug is bound to the lipid bilayers. The oxypropanolamine group is however relatively flexible. It appears from these studies that the aromatic group binds strongly to the hydrophobic regions of the lipid bilayer, while the oxypropanolamine moiety remains relatively free and lies in the hydrophilic region. The ¹³C chemical shifts indicate the involvement of the β-hydroxyl group in hydrogen bonding with the lipids. The NH group may be involved in electrostatic interactions with the negatively charged phosphate group of the lipid bilayers.     

Proton spin lattice relaxation times in biological tissues Water and lipid role

Abstract

The multiphase model of water present in biological tissues derives mainly from the N.M.R. observation of a fraction of non-freezing water in biological tissues which is attributable to the water bound to macromolecules. Studies of this problem rule out completely the lipids as the source of the NMR signal. Our studies on nuclear spin lattice relaxation times of human and animal tissues have been made to understand if other contributions to the N.M.R. signal are present in addition to that coming from the water protons. We have measured directly by the N.M.R. method the relative water and lipid content and the relaxation time T ₁ as a function of the water content which was varied by controlled dehydration. The results show clearly that lipids contribute actively to the N.M.R. signal and the fast relaxation time T ₁ which is of the order of 100 ms in all biological tissues is related to the lipids. In view of these experimental observations we think that it is opportune to reconsider critically all the determinations of the ‘bound water’ made by the freezing procedure with the N.M.R. technique, and dedicate more attention to the lipids of biological membranes.     

An ionic polymer bead-supported lipid system

In this paper, we report on the preparation of an ionic polymer bead-supported lipid system several hundred micrometers in diameter. The electrostatic attractive interactions between anionic lipids and cationic polymer beads served as a "molecular glue" to immobilize the lipids on the beads, and then the immobilized lipids prompted the spontaneous formation of lipid bilayer membranes. Confocal fluorescence microscopic techniques revealed that the lipid bilayer membranes were located along the outline of the beads. In addition, the integrity of the lipid bilayer membranes was microscopically confirmed by a low-molecular-weight dye (trypan blue) exclusion test.     

Structure–Function Relationships of New Lipids Designed for DNA Transfection

Cationic liposome/DNA complexes can be used as nonviral vectors for direct delivery of DNA‐based biopharmaceuticals to damaged cells and tissues. To obtain more effective and safer liposome‐based gene transfection systems, two cationic lipids with identical head groups but different chain structures are investigated with respect to their in vitro gene‐transfer activity, their cell‐damaging characteristics, and their physicochemical properties. The gene‐transfer activities of the two lipids are very different. Differential scanning calorimetry and synchrotron small‐ and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering give valuable structural insight. A subgel‐like structure with high packing density and high phase‐transition temperature from gel to liquid‐crystalline state are found for lipid 7 (N′‐2‐[(2,6‐diamino‐1‐oxohexyl)amino]ethyl‐2,N‐bis(hexadecyl)propanediamide) containing two saturated chains. Additionally, an ordered head‐group lattice based on formation of a hydrogen‐bond network is present. In contrast, lipid 8 (N′‐2‐[(2,6‐diamino‐1‐oxohexyl)amino]ethyl‐2‐hexadecyl‐N‐[(9Z)‐octadec‐9‐enyl]propanediamide) with one unsaturated and one saturated chain shows a lower phase‐transition temperature and a reduced packing density. These properties enhance incorporation of the helper lipid cholesterol needed for gene transfection. Both lipids, either pure or in mixtures with cholesterol, form lamellar phases, which are preserved after addition of DNA. However, the system separates into phases containing DNA and phases without DNA. On increasing the temperature, DNA is released and only a lipid phase without intercalated DNA strands is observed. The conversion temperatures are very different in the two systems studied. The important parameter seems to be the charge density of the lipid membranes, which is a result of different solubility of cholesterol in the two lipid membranes. Therefore, different binding affinities of the DNA to the lipid mixtures are achieved.